Silvertongue
by JewelStruck
Summary: Robin has a secret. One that not even Batman knows. It's the reason he never leaves a bookshop until he's checked every book. It's the reason he NEVER reads out loud. It's the reason his parents are gone. But his secret is catching up with him. It's getting closer everyday. It's getting more dangerous everyday. And people are getting more desperate everyday. Based off Inkheart.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Young Justice or Inkheart or any of the stories I quote or mention.**

"John! Dick! Get inside before the thunder and lightning starts!" shouted Mary Grayson from the doorway of their small trailer.

"But Mami! There's nothing to DO inside! And it's just raining!" complained a 6 year old Richard, who then proceeded to shake his head like a dog and sent water droplets EVERYWHERE.

"Son, your mother's right. It'll start to thunderstorm soon. It'll be dangerous to stay outside." John explained, honestly just wanting to get out of the downpour.

Dick looked down at his feet and crossed his arms defiantly.

His father grinned and charged at him, picking him up and tickling him.

"Tata! Opri! Care gâdilă! Opri!" (Daddy! Stop! That tickles! Stop!) Dick squealed between laughs.

John laughed and carried him into the trailer.

The trailer wasn't big, honestly it consisted of two rooms.

A main room and a bedroom.

The main room was a kitchen, dining room and sitting area with a table that turned into a bed if they had guests.

Dick prefered to sleep on the little bunk that was created by the raised curve of the trailer for where they hooked it to their truck.

The bedroom was small, and doubled as a storage place.

It had cabinets everywhere, it was where most of their stuff was kept.

It wasn't much, but it was home.

Just as Mary closed and locked the flimsy door, a loud burst of thunder cracked overhead.

"See? You two got in just in time." she laughed, while drying Dick's hair with a light blue towel.

"But what're we gonna' DO. Everything fun is OUTside." huffed Dick, who was attempting (and failing) to swat away his mother's hands.

"Do you want us to read you a story?" asked John, while he changed his sopping wet shirt.

"Can _I_ read the story to YOU?" he asked as his mother helped him into some warm and dry pyjamas.

"Since when can you read?" teased John.

"I'm a gooder reader than you!" Dick said, although it was muffled by the PJ shirt sliding over his head.

"Gooder? You sure you want to use that word?" he teased.

"Better. I'm a BETTER reader than you. Happy?" he huffed, continuing to huff under his breath about how confusing grammar is.

"Of course you can read the story to us, my little Robin." she agreed, kissing his still damp hair.

"Now, your mother and I are going to change, too. Go get a book you like and we'll be done when you get back."

Dick rushed off to find the perfect story.

He ran to his parents bedroom and opened the cabinet under the bed.

This is where they kept ALL their books.

He knew it was weird, but books seemed to talk with him.

He glanced at a few titles, hearing the whispers they reached to him with.

 _"-sin to kill a mockingbird..."_

 _"-Indigo Montoya. You killed my Father. Prepare-"_

 _"Call me Ishmael..."_

 _"...I volunteer as tribute!"_

 _"...ring to bring them all, and in the darkness..."_

 _"...tree was happy, but not really..."_

 _"...fish two fish red fish blue..."_

 _"...real isn't how you're made, real is a thing that happens to you..."_

He looked for a long while and finally decided.

His tiny 6 year old hands plucked a thick book with a thick golden spine.

'A Collection of Fairy Tales'

The pages were gold and the writing was fancy.

The reason he chose it though, were the stories.

Knights rescuing Damsels in distress, magic, and so much more.

He held his find close to his chest as he walked to where his parents were done changing.

"Ready?" asked Dick, excited.

"Definately! What story did you pick, Robin?" his mami asked.

"My name isn't Robin!" he complained, "and I chose this one." he grinned handing her the legends.

"Come on, why don't we read this in our bed, we'll all be more comfy that way." suggested his tati.

They all climbed into the Queen-sized bed.

John was sitting with his arm around Mary, and Mary had her sweet little Robin sitting in her lap.

He opened the book to look at the contents.

'Beauty and the Beast' 'Snow White' 'Rapunzel' 'Aladdin'

His little finger slid down the line until it decided on a solution.

"Mami, you pick." he announced, holding the book up a little so his mami could see better.

"Hmm... How about... The Frog Prince?"

"Desăvârşit!" (Perfect!) he cried.

He turned to the right page and cleared his throat.

"The Frog Prince. Once there was a young princess named Kaitlyn who decided to go for a walk in the forest. She brought along her toys, including her favourite toy. A small golden ball. As she walked, she tossed it in the air and caught it again. A little while later, she threw it too hard."

"Oh no!" gasped Mary, and John held back a chuckle.

"Mami! It's okay! These stories have happy endings! Remember?" he laughed.

"Oh, I forgot... how silly of me..."

"Okay... where was I?" murmured Dick.

His mother pointed to the exact spot with one of her long fingers.

"Oh yeah! The _little golden ball flew through the air..._ "

Dick stopped reading as his voice started to get weird and echo and the world seemed to shudder around him.

"What was that?" he asked, scared of what just happened to his voice.

"What was what?" asked John, who had started to fall asleep.

"I didn't hear anything sweetie. Keep reading." she prompted, swatting the side of her husband's head.

"Okay... The ball flew, then bounced, then rolled all the way into a murky wel-..."

Little did the family realize, as the next wave of thunder hit, a small, golden ball fell from the sky, onto their roof.

After three short bounces, the ball was trapped under a thorn bush.

Mary and John Grayson didn't realize that their son had a gift.

A gift that would make his eighth birthday a day he would never forget.

And not for a _good_ reason.


	2. Twice Told Tales

**Disclaimer: I continue to not own Young Justice, Inkheart or the many other mentioned books.**

 _ **A/N: I just want to say thank you to the people who have been showing interest in this story! It means SO much! Also, a little warning: I've only seen the movie for Inkheart (regrettably I haven't read the books) and this fic will be very LOOSELY based on it, I'll be taking some liberties. Hope that doesn't make you turn from the story! Also, sorry for the lack of updates! I've been sick and then I had exams! Expect quicker updates during the summer! Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

"Does anyone know if there's a library or something around here?" asked Artemis tiredly as she hunched over her homework with a flashlight in one hand and a pencil in the other.

The team was bored.

There had been no mission in three weeks and a huge storm had hit an hour ago and now the power was gone, too.

Robin, Wally, M'gann and Superboy were sitting at the kitchen table while Artemis was at the kitchen island and Kaldur was on the living room couch.

"Um, no. But there is a book shop a few blocks down..." answered M'gann thoughtfully as she finished her turn for Jenga.

It didn't collapse, making Wally curse.

"A bookstore? Bore city." he huffed as he slowly removed a small and wooden rectangular prism, "Yes!" he shouted when it didn't fall.

Superboy glared at the wavering tower, got up from the kitchen table and went to sit on the couch beside Kaldur who was petting Wolf.

"No! It's really cool!" M'gann started as Robin began his turn.

"It sells these really old and rare and one of a kind books! It's really ne-"

Robin's hand jerked and 54 small blocks plummeted, scattering across the table and floor.

"Robin looses!" celebrated KF, jumping up.

"Wait, Miss M... you said this shop sells _rare_ books?" Robin asked, acting as if he hadn't just toppled a tower of blocks.

"Yeah! The owner's really nice, too! We should go!" she suggested.

"I believe that would be an enjoyable activity to occupy our free time with." agreed Kaldur, from the couch.

"But it's _books_! There's nothing exciting about books!" groaned Wally.

 _"Ha. 'Nothing exciting about books'..."_ Robin whispers under his breath, and no one else hears.

"Please Wally? I'll buy you something! PLEASE?" begged M'gann.

She REALLY wanted to see if she could find issue #47 of the 'Hello Megan' comic series. (It was AMAZING, almost better than the show!)

"Fine. But only for you, Babe." Wally said, sighing.

"Well... let's go." huffed Artemis, pulling herself off the barstool, grabbing her purse and throwing on her raincoat.

The others slowly made their way over, snatching raincoats, wallets and another variety of things.

As they left the mountain, Wally noticed Robin was lagging behind.

"Hey dude, what's up?" he asked, slowing down to walk beside his best friend.

"Nothing really... just have a lot on my mind..." he answered, lying (not that Wally would ever know that). "Let's just say there's a lot of big stuff going on..." (that was less of a lie).

"Well, this is great then! A boring trip to a bookstore. Nothing big about this, right?" Wally said with a smile, clapping Robin on the back before running a head to catch up with the others.

"Yeah... _nothing big about this..._ " sighed Robin.

 _'Wally, if only you knew how wrong you are...'_ Robin thought sadly.

He scowled.

It had been 5 years and he still hadn't found another copy of that STUPID book!

He sighed and shook his head.

He couldn't give up.

It was out there.

Somewhere.

* * *

 _Ding!_

A little bell chimed as the 6 soaking wet teens pushed themselves through the doorway of 'Twice Told Tales'.

"Welcome! I can't say I expected customers in this weat- Oh dear!" gasped the book keeper in shock.

"Sorry Mrs. Gulliver, we didn't think it would be raining this hard..." explained M'gann shyly.

This woman reminded Robin of Alfred a little.

She seemed like a female version of him.

You know caring yet strict yet grandparently yet scary yet smart yet funny yet sophisticated.

And she had a british accent, too. So there was that.

"Oh, you poor dears! Hurry hurry! Come in! Come in! I'll start a fire, here, come to the sitting area!" she instructed.

"Megan, it's good to see you again! Who are your friends?" asked the old woman.

"Well, this is Conner, Artemis, Wally, Kal...um... Kalum, and Robin." she announced, before introducing them to Mrs. Gulliver, the owner of the store.

The bookstore was huge and thankfully had light (thanks to Mrs. Gulliver's son installing a generator).

It had a semi-circle of couches that surrounded a fireplace that was built into a wall, while every other inch was covered in books.

And there were two floors.

It might just be here...

"Mrs. Gulliver?" Robin called.

"Yes, dear?" she called back, returning with blankets.

"I was wondering, would you mind if I look around?" he asked.

"Of course not, go ahead! But are you sure you don't want to dry off first?" she replied, worriedly.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you, though."

"Robin, are you sure? I mean we probably won't be leaving anytime soon." M'gann pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm sure." _I have to get through ALL of them, I don't have time to waste!_

I go over to a bookshelf on the far left of the first floor.

 **FICTION**

I'll try my luck here first.

I drag my fingers slowly over the spines of the books and they start.

 _"... was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen..."_

 _"... and it must be believed that solitude can quickly destroy rea-"_

 _"... be a privilege to have my heart broken by you..."_

 _"... it never said 'my' suicide..."_

As my fingers ghost over each one, I swiftly read the titles, silently willing the whispers to stop.

I move from shelf to shelf.

 _"... Run like your life depends on it. Because it does..."_

Not here.

 _"... When people have the freedom to choose, they choose wrong..."_

Not here either.

 _"... all I care is that you're safe..."_

Maybe it's not here at all.

Maybe I'm just wasting my time.

I go back to the fire and drop myself on the couch with a sigh.

Everyone else had spread themselves around the shop.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" asks Mrs. Gulliver, walking over.

"No... Not really." I say with a sad smile.

"Well, maybe I can help you. What were you looking for?"

"It's an older book... about 50 years old... pretty rare too... I doubt it's here." I explain.

"Well here, I'll let you into the back room. It's where I keep books just like the one you described." she says leading him over to a heavy looking door.

She unlocks it and flicks on the light before stepping inside.

I glance around and my heart stops.

There it is.

It's **_here_**.

I can barely breathe.

I've found it.

* * *

 **5 Years Ago**

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Dick, Happy Birthday to you!" John and Mary Grayson sang.

It was Dick's 8th birthday and he had never been happier.

They had just done a wonderful act and Pop Haley had announced to the ENTIRE audience that it was his birthday!

Whenever someone saw him they kept wishing him 'Happy Birthday's.

He was snapped out of his thought as a brightly wrapped gift was placed in front of him.

"We know it isn't much, but we hope you like it." Mary said, sitting beside him at their table, while John sat parallel to them.

Dick happily unwrapped the present and smiled.

"It's a new book!" he declared happily, flipping through the pages.

"We know how great of a reader you're becoming so we thought maybe we could read this as a family." Mary explained, relieved that her son wasn't disappointed by the gift.

"I love it! Can we start it later tonight though? I REALLY want to go play with Zitka!" he begged.

"Sure, why not? Here, leave it on the table and we'll read it when we come back." John agreed.

The family of three left their trailer and headed over to go see the trained elephant.

They left the new novel face up on the table.

The cover was white with two purple strips on the side with a burning black heart in the middle.

Above it read the title.

In black letters it read:

 **Inkheart**


End file.
